Bits and Pieces
by Naiira Harlow
Summary: These are a few snippets of life before fifth year for my OC, Nalavain Harlow. I usually pair her with Draco so that's what these pieces are. Contains little stories from 1st to end of 4th year. Fluffy cute stuff for if I put my HP story back up :) Reviews would be nice


You know what they say, to get better you must practice, practice, practice! One-shot for all the crazy Draco fans because let's face it, some of us are still obsessed with Harry Potter even if it ended

It was Christmas and once again Nalavain had been left behind. Severus had insisted she stay at the school even if the rest of the students had gone home. The trio were still around, so it wasn't horrible. The year, however, was getting stranger little by little. After all the attacks on muggle borns around the school, her friends had decided to interrogate Malfoy using Polyjuice potion.

She had been asked, but said it would be suspicious since the few Slytherins who all stayed were male. So she helped them with the potion, but nothing more. The students had cleared out two days ago and the potion was almost ready. Nala had decided to wander about with a book while she waited for lunch. The halls were quiet and the school felt horribly empty.

She didn't really notice, walking about with her nose stuck in "Advanced Potions Theory: A guide to making discoveries." It was a large volume with a few thousand pages. Hermione had given it to her for her birthday and was trying to finish it up. Without really noticing, she passed a rather curious looking boy. He fell into step with her, trying to see what she was reading. If the book was that large then it had to be interesting right?

"Afternoon Malfoy." Her voice made him stiffen in surprise. When he looked up from the page he was face to face with Nalavain Harlow, although he really should have known. No one walks and reads around school except her. He blushed.

"Afternoon." He mumbled. Her eyes sparkled gently, the blue green shining in the sunlight that peaked through the arched windows. She kept walking, turning her face back to the large book and instantly diving back into the information.

"Why are you lugging this huge book around?" Nala sighed, but kept her eyes on the book.

"It was a gift from Hermione if you must know and it's really goo…hey!" Malfoy pulled the book out of her hands and about dropped it. The thing was really heavy and rather old looking. He closed it and looked down at the title.

"You read this stuff?" Nala snatched the book back and nodded, her face pink.

"Yes, I want to be a potions master one day so I need this." She stuck out her tongue and reopened the book, easily finding her place and starting up again. They were walking out of the castle now, the cold nipping at their noses as they walked.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Nala asked, exasperated. Malfoy smirked and shrugged. Deciding to once again ignore him, Nala continued reading. They made it halfway to the Hagrids hut when Draco spoke again.

"Why didn't you go home for Christmas?"

"Because, Sev told me to stay here. He had business to take care of." Malfoy nodded, satisfied. Curiousity took her before she knew what she was saying.

"What about you Malfoy? Why didn't you go home for Christmas? I'm sure your parents will be throwing some ball or something for Christmas eve right?" The Malfoy Christmas ball was legendary. Severus always got miffed because Lucius wouldn't allow him to come. From what Nala understood, it was a bunch of old death eaters and purebloods getting together to brag about money. It wasn't her type of party.

"Maybe I didn't want to go this year." Malfoy's voice lacked the sneering edge it usually had when he spoke to her. Nala stopped and closed her book, a frown evident on her lips.

"You know, if you are just going to lie why don't you go talk to your cronies back up at the castle." Malfoy frowned.

"Why should I be truthful?"

"You approached me and started talking. It's courteous to continue the conversation with truth else you risk someone getting angry. Why are you talking to me anyway?" Nala hissed. Her breath was visible in the cold, small puffs of air released into the air from her bright red lips. A tinge of red was dotted on her cheeks and nose. She even had her chin tucked into her red and gold striped scarf. Malfoy even noticed her red fluffy ear muffs that were hidden by her dark crimson hair. He looked up at her face and saw his own breath as he released the air in his lungs.

"I…don't know." He muttered. Nala shook her head, turning and continuing to walk down towards Hagrid's hut. It was starting to snow now, the small droplets of frozen water sticking to Nala's coat and hair. Draco followed close behind, still unwilling to leave her alone. Nala had reopened her book and was shuffling through the pages when Malfoy tripped her. She slipped on the hard ground and crashed forward. The book landed to her side and her face planted straight into the hard ground. There was a gasp and for a few moments she blacked out.

"Nala! Hey Nala you okay?! Hey answer me!" The shuffling of feet and finally the world materialized. Things were still fuzzy as someone gently pulled her back so that she was sitting up.

"Merlin…I didn't mean…ugh!" Malfoy's face came into focus little by little. His white blond hair was dusted with snow, his eyes wide and panicked.

"What the hell?!" Nala creened, smacking outward. The motion made her head throb.

"I'm so sorry Nala, I didn't mean to…well I did but I wasn't trying to hurt you I swear. Gravity is more powerful than I thought." The last part was muttered so Nala assumed she wasn't supposed to hear it. She giggled, avoiding moving her now aching head.

"It's okay, just glad you didn't abandon me in the snow." Malfoy gasped in air, biting his lower lip. He looked furtively around. There was no one around but them and the ever falling snow. Nala gripped her head lightly and found a bit of a knot on her forehead, but otherwise she seemed okay.

"Here." Malfoy stood up and extended his hand to Nala. She gripped it and was pulled up only to lose footing at the dizzy spell it gave her. Malfoy caught her, but just barely. She was tiny really, being the same age as him. He blushed as she gripped the front of his robes for support. He shakily wrapped his arms around her waist to steady her movement.

"That was rather enlightening." Nala commented as she turned to get her book. Malfoy already had the large volume held out to her.

"Oh…thank you." She did her best to dust herself off and took the book. The dizziness returned with the weight.

"This book is bloody heavy isn't it? I should have stayed in the library." She lost balance again only to be pushed back up by the blond Slytherin. He sighed. It was break and no one would see him being nice to her for at least a little while. He took the book and braced her with his free arm.

"I'm not supposed to see stars right?" Why had he gone and tripped her? He was only teasing, he hadn't meant for her to hurt herself. Guilt welled up in the twelve year olds chest. With the book in one arm, and Nala in the other, Malfoy began walking back up to the castle. The only problem was that as a such a small boy he could only do so much. He kept losing the grip on the book and then Nala would slip slightly.

"Why don't you just take me to Hagrid, his hut is closer." Nala suggested politely. Malfoy seethed. He really didn't want to be seen being nice to her and it would be bad enough to have Madame Pomfrey know, that woman was practically a mind reader. He groaned, but there really wasn't much of an alternative and he wasn't leaving her out in the snow. So he let her sit with the book cradled in her lap while he went to knock on Hagrid's door. The large man answered almost immediately. He beamed beneath the bushy brown beard. Yet when his eyes laid on Malfoy he looked confused.

"I need your help, Nala over there got into an accident and…"

"I got clumsy and knocked myself silly Hagrid!" She called. Malfoy froze and spun around to stare at her. She had every right to blame him for tripping her, but she didn't. Hagrid grabbed his coat and was out the door quickly, Fang barking from inside the cabin.

"Good lord Nala, yer got a knot the size of a goose egg on yer head." Hagrid gathered the tiny girl in his arms with the book.

"Oh you know how careless I get when I read. Must have miss stepped when I was coming down for tea. Lucky for me Malfoy was walking down to the owlery and happened to try and help." Hagrid eyed the Slytherin carefully. He was looking down at his feet, shuffling uncomfortably with a bit of a blush from the cold on his pale cheeks.

"Well why don't we get yer to Madame Pomfrey eh?" Hagrid grinned. Nala shook her head lightly.

"Oh no I'll be fine, how about I sit in your cabin until I get less dizzy? I'm sure Harry and the others might blame poor Malfoy if I were to end up in the hospital wing." Malfoy's heart beat pounded in his ears. She was defending him. He didn't deserve any of it, but she was lying so he wouldn't get in trouble. No one had ever done such a thing before even if it was so small.

"Yer sure?" Hagrid was still eyeing Malfoy carefully.

"Yes, no worries." The giant carried Nala back to his cabin and Malfoy moved aside from the doorstep.

"Just a moment Hagrid okay?" The man set Nala down and took her book inside. She looked to make sure that Hagrid wasn't paying attention before turning to Malfoy and planting a sweet kiss on his cheek. Malfoy's eyes went wide in surprise as she pulled back, a smile plastered on that kind face.

"Thank you for not leaving me. Just pretend it was me tripping k?" She went into the cabin and closed the door. Malfoy walked back up to the castle, all the while having his hand touching the spot where Nala's lips had touched. He hadn't really thought about it before, but she was quite a beauty…for a Gryffindor anyway. He shook his head, but the thoughts didn't leave him. Was he suddenly developing feelings for her?


End file.
